Home appliance with removable decorative elements

Abstract

A home appliance having a casing or housing having one or more sidewalls with at least one of the sidewalls defining a topographical element adapted to removably receive a decorative element.

1 . A home appliance, comprising: 
 an outer casing having at least one external sidewall defining a topographical element on an exterior portion of said external sidewall; and    a removable decorative element covering at least a portion of said exterior portion, and wherein the topographical element is adapted to removably receive said decorative element.    
   
   
       2 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein the appliance is a toaster.  
   
   
       3 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein the topographical element is decorative.  
   
   
       4 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein the topographical element is a groove.  
   
   
       5 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein the topographical element has a plurality of receiving apertures, wherein the receiving apertures are sized and positioned to removably receive mounting pins on the decorative element.  
   
   
       6 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein the decorative element is a filler decorative element sized and shaped to fill the topographical element.  
   
   
       7 . The home appliance of  claim 1  wherein the decorative element is a panel decorative element that covers all or a portion of the sidewall.  
   
   
       8 . A home appliance having interior components, comprising: 
 a toaster having an outer casing, the casing having at least one external sidewall defining a decorative topographical element on an external portion of said external sidewall; and    a removable decorative element covering at least a portion of said external sidewall, and wherein the topographical element is a groove adapted to removably receive said decorative element without exposing said interior components.    
   
   
       9 . The home appliance of  claim 8  wherein the decorative element is a filler decorative element sized and shaped to fill the topographical element.  
   
   
       10 . The home appliance of  claim 8  wherein the decorative element is a panel decorative element.  
   
   
       11 . A home countertop appliance having interior components and comprising: 
 an outer casing comprising an exterior sidewall extending around said interior components; and    a decorative element removably mounted to said outer casing such that removal of said decorative element from said outer casing does not expose said interior components.    
   
   
       12 . The home appliance of  claim 11 , wherein said decorative element covers a portion of said exterior sidewall.  
   
   
       13 . The home appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a topographical feature formed in said casing and adapted to removably receive said decorative element.  
   
   
       14 . The home appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a snap-fit connection between said decorative element and said outer casing.  
   
   
       15 . The home appliance of  claim 14 , wherein said snap-fit connection comprises a plurality of mounting pins.